Automatically righting fireworks article



Oct. 27, 1936. A c o os 2,058,567

I AUTOMATICALLY RIGHTING FIREWORKS ARTICLE Filed April '5, 1955 \nvenTor. A\beTT Cimorosi MM&W

Patented- Oct. 27, 1936 PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATICALLY RIGHTIN G FIREWORKS ARTICLE Albert Cimorosi, Elkton, Md., assignor to Antoinette M. Cimorosi, Elkton, Md.

Application April 5,

5 Claims.

.This invention relates to improvements in fireworks and one of the objects of the invention is to provide an automatically righting pyrotechnical device comprising a casing containing a 1Q highly combustible composition adapted when the device is placed upon a supporting surface and the combustible composition ignited will right .itself in such manner as to project a jet of flame, preferably having sparks intermingled .19 therewith, or a jet of smoke, upwardly in a direction perpendicular to the surface upon which the device rests. More specifically the invention comprises an automatically righting pyrotechnical device com- :15 prising a rigid closed container having a substantial portion of its area presenting a rolling surface and provided with a member mounted in said ,shell having a vent opening extending in a direction diametrically opposite to a portion of ,2 the rolling surface, a highly combustible material containing an oxidizing agent, and preferably ,alsocontaining materials for producing sparks or coloredfiame within said casing, and means for ign'iting ,the composition so that the reactive force of the gases of combustion expelled from the vent will cause the container to roll until the reactive force acts in a vertical direction with .respectto the surface upon which the device rests. "Afurther object of the invention is to provide 30 a pyrotechnicaldevice of thecharacter described having a fuse for igniting the combustible composition and so constructed that when the fuse is ignited and the device dropped, tossed, or thrown upon the, ground it will right itself x85 promptly after ,the compositionbegins to burn and will project flames, sparks and/or smoke from the fuse hole vertically into "the air during the continuance of the burning ;of the com- ,bustible material. 40 Afurther object of the invention is to provide w an .automatically righting ,pyrotechnical device of the character above described having a casing of" sufficient capacity and rigidity to produce a continued flame or smoke "for a considerable ,45 period of time.

50 went, it is important that the wall of the contalner shall "be of "such character as to prevent rupture by the expanding gases. A further -object of the invention is to provide an automaticall-y righting pyrotechnical device of this char- 55 acter-of economical construction and of suffi 1935, Serial No. 14,841

cient tensile strength to withstand the pressure of the gases thus liberated by combustion. This is preferably accomplished in the present invention by providing a container comprising a cartridge enclosing the combustible material and provided with a shell formed of agglutinated finely divided material, preferably fine sawdust, agglomerated upon the cartridge, thereby reenforcing and producing a container having a wall of very considerable tensile strength.

These and other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawing and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of an automatically righting pyrotechnical device of the character specified, of substantially cylindrical form, and illustrating a fuse extending through the vent to ignite the combustible material contained therein;

Fig. 2 is a "transverse sectional view at right angles to that illustrated in Fig. 1, showing the article resting upon a suitable support with a lighted fuse extending in a non-vertical position;

Fig. 3 is a similar transverse sectional view through the plane of the vent showing the products of combustion being expelled from the tube and the reactive force thereof as having partially rotated the device so that the axis of the vent isapproaching vertical position;

Fig.4 is a transverse sectional view similar to Fig. 3, showing the device in the position in which it is maintained when rotated by the reactive force of the liberated gases of combustion when acting in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the support, so that the jet of flame or smoke, or other products of combustion, issuing from the ventis perpendicular to said support; and,

Fig.5 is a viewillustrating a modified or spheroidal form :of device "and illustrating in dotted lines the cartridge which contains the combustible material and also illustrating a preferred form ofornamentation of the surface of the device.

The invention as above described comprises broadly enclosing a -combustible pyrotechnical r material adapted to=produce flame, sparks, smoke or colored fire, in a closed-container having a substantial area of its exterior presenting a rolling surface, preferably, but not necessarily, a curved surface with a vent diametrically opposite to a of flame and sparks or smoke is projected up'-.

Wardly in a substantially vertical direction In the preferred construction illustrated in.

Figs. 1 to 4 the container comprises a cartridge having a cylindrical wall I of heavy paper composition with plugs 2 and 3 of fibreboa'rd, orother fibrous composition, secured therein preferably by glue. The chamber of the cartridge thus constructed is filled with a combustible composition 4 before one of the heads is secured in place. The shell is provided with a port 5 of suitable size which is located diametrically opposite the curved or rolling surface of the container and where the container is of cylindrical'form preferably extends through the cylindrical wall in proximity to one of the heads. A fuse 6 extends through the port 5 into the combustible material within the chamber and is secured in place by a sleeve I having a vent opening which extends in a direction diametrically opposite to a portion f said rolling surface, said sleeve being made of a suitable plastic composition which is adherent to the fuse and to the wall of the port and when introduced in plastic form mushrooms out upon contact with the combustible material sufficiently to insure rigid connection to the container.

The chamber f the container may be charged with any suitable slow-burning composition having therein an oxidizing agent to support combustion and also preferably contains suitable material for producing sparks or flames of any desired color or colors. A preferred composition comprises a granular mixture of charcoal, saltpeter, and sulphur, which may als contain aluminum, magnesia powder or powders of colored fire-producing materials, such as, sodium to produce a yellow color; calcium to produce red; strontium to produce crimson; barium to produce green; potassium to produce violet; and copper to produce blue or red, or any other selected materials such as are commonly used in fireworks display.

The charge may if desired contain smoke-producing material either alone or in combination .with the spark or colored fire-producing material.

with a shell 8 comprising an agglomerated mass of granulated or finely divided material, the particles of which are secured together and to the walls of the cartridge by suitable adhesive such as, glue. The shell may be constructed and applied by covering the cartridge with a coat of viscous adhesive material and thereafter applying the granular material thereto. Preferably, however, the filled cartridge, either in a coated or uncoated state, before the fuse is applied, is rolled into a mixture of granular material, such as'fine sawdust, and adhesive, of such consistencythat it will accumulate upon the cartridge as it is rolled to produce a cylindrical construction with thicker rounded ends such as illustrated in Fig. 1. The vent opening may then be bored through the shell and cartridge and the fuse and retaining sleeve or plug secured. therein.

.fuse enters near the head of the container, to

secured thereto in the manner above described.

In order to ornament the surface of the article it may be dusted While the adhesive is still tacky with a suitable powder, such as aluminum, and rolled in confetti comprising small paper disks [4 of any desired color or colors. This ornamental coating also increases the tensile strength of the wall of the container.

.By thus. providing paper cartons enclosed in a shell of agglomerated granular material, such as sawdust, all danger of injury to the person firing the shell is avoided in the event of the bursting of the container, (which rarely if ever occurs), as no fragments of the cartridge or shell will be produced which will be likely to injure a person.

The sectional views showing the operation of the device illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, are equally applicable to the spherical or spheroidal form illustrated in Fig. 5.

In use the device may be placed upon a suitable support i5, such as the ground or pavement, and the fuse lighted, or the fuse may be first lighted while the device is held in the hand and then tossed or thrown upon the ground. In either instance, the device is so constructed that it will rest upon the curved or rolling surface. When the fuse has burned sufficiently to ignite the combustible composition it will have been reduced to a rupturable or powdered form so that the gases liberated by the combustion of the composition will be projected through the vent. The reactive force of. the escaping gases upon the diametrically opposite portion of the curved or rolling surface will then cause the device to roll upon its support A until the reactive force acts in a vertical direction with respect to said surface. Inasmuch as the device is usually thrown upon the ground or floor or pavement, the jet of flame and sparks'will be projected upwardly in a substantially vertical direction to a height of several feet, and the device will be maintained by the vertically acting reactive force until the composition is completely burned out.

It will be understood that the container. may be made of any suitable material, with or without the' reenforcing shell, that any suitable combustible material may be employed. It will also be understood that the charge of. the container, particularly if cylindrical form, may be stratified,,if the produce a series of different pyrotechnical effects, such as, different colors, or if made in large size the container may be in the form of a roman candle, or other display providing always-that the vent is located diametrically opposite the rolling area of the surface of. the device,-so that the reactive force of the escaping gases of combustion will cause automatically righting of the device.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Lettersv Patent, is:

1. An automatically righting pyrotechnical device comprising a hollow rigid closed.- container having an exterior presenting a rolling; surface... and provided with a port opposite to said rolling surface, a highly combustible slow-burning composition filling said container, a sleeve mounted in said port having a vent opening extending in a direction diametrically opposite to said portion of the rolling surface, and a fuse secured within and extending through said sleeve into said combustible material, whereby upon the burning of said fuse and ignition of the composition the reactive force of the gases of combustion expelled from said vent will cause the container to roll until the reactive force acts in a vertical direction with respect to the surface upon which the container rests.

2. An automatically righting pyrotechnical device comp-rising a hollow rigid closed container having an exterior presenting a rolling surface and provided with a port opposite to said rolling surface, a highly combustible slow-burning composition filling said container, a sleeve mounted in said port having a portion thereof mushroomed outwardly within said container, to insure rigid connection thereto, and extending outwardly well beyond said container and provided with a vent opening extending in a direction diametrically opposite to a portion of. said rolling surface, and a fuse secured within and extending through said sleeve into said combustible material, whereby upon the burning of said fuse and ignition of the composition the reactive force of the gases of combustion expelled from said vent will cause the container to roll until the reactive force acts in a vertical direction with respect to the surface upon which the container rests.

3. An automatically righting pyrotechnical device comprising a hollow rigid closed container having a wall of substantially circular cross section and provided with a vent in said circular wall, a flammable charge of, combustible sparkproducing mixture filling said container, a sleeve mounted in and lining said port and having a cylindrical vent opening of smaller diameter extending in a diametrical direction relatively to said circular wall, and a fuse secured within and extending through said sleeve into said combustible material, whereby when said container rests upon a horizontal surface the reactive force of the gases of combustion expelled through said vent will cause the container to roll until the reactive force acts vertically downwardly and the flame and sparks produced by said combustion will be projected upwardly in a substantially vertical direction.

4. An automatically righting pyrotechnical device comprising a cylindrical container having a port in its cylindrical wall, a flammable sparkproducing mixture containing an oxidizing agent filling said container, a sleeve mounted in said port and extending outwardly from said container having a vent extending in a direction diametrical of said container, and a fuse secured within and extending through said sleeve into said combustible material, whereby when said container rests upon a horizontal surface the reactive force of the gases of combustion expelled through said vent will cause the container to roll until the reactive force acts vertically downwardly and the flame and sparks produced by said combustion will be projected upwardly in a substantially vertical direction.

5. An automatically righting pyrotechnical device comprising a cylindrical container having a port in its cylindrical wall in proximity to one end thereof, flammable spark-producing mixtures adapted to produce different pyrotechnical effects stratified within and filling said container, a sleeve mounted in said port and extending outwardly from said container having a vent extending in a direction diametrical of said container, and a fuse secured within and extending through said sleeve into said combustible material, whereby when said container rests upon a horizontal surface the reactive force of the gases of combustion expelled through said vent will cause the container to roll until the reactive force acts vertically downwardly and the flame and sparks produced by said combustion will be projected upwardly in a substantially vertical direction.

ALBERT CIMOROSI. 

